CAPE TOWN, Feb 21: Wasim Akram is confident of becoming the first man in history to reach 500 wickets in One-day Internationals when Pakistan take on England on Saturday.

The 36-year-old left-arm fast bowler, in his fifth and final World Cup, needs just two more victims.

“By all counts I should get to 500 wickets here,” he said on Friday. “I would prefer a win than the 500, but both would be the perfect celebration.”

Wasim, one of the great exponents of reverse swing and hailed by Wisden as the best ever one-day bowler, could not have picked better opponents, having played regularly against many of the England team during his decade-long stint with Lancashire.

He is expected to retire after the tournament.

Wasim was the Man-of-the-Match when Pakistan beat England to lift the 1992 trophy. He also captained the team to the 1999 final.

He was barred from leading the side again, however, after a match-fixing inquiry in Pakistan ruled that he had not co-operated with the investigation. He is currently contesting that decision.

“It’s been a wonderful 18 years on the international circuit,” he added. “I am really enjoying myself in this tournament where I get to play the father figure role to the others.

“After this World Cup is over I will take a decision on my retirement. But yes, before bowing out I am keen to get the stigma of match-fixing removed from my name.”

Saturday will be Wasim’s 353rd one-dayer. He has taken 498 wickets at 23.50, as well as 414 Test victims. He is the only man to break the 400 barrier in both forms of the game.

Wasim’s nearest challenger in one-dayers is captain and team mate Waqar Younis, who has taken 411 wickets, with Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan next with 310.

Wasim and Waqar paired up in the early 1990s to form one of cricket’s great bowling double-acts, but have since fallen out.

Wasim, a protege of former captain Imran Khan, has not played a Test since the start of 2002 but remains a force in the shorter form of the game.

He underlined that point by taking five for 28 against Namibia earlier in the tournament, four of his victims trapped lbw by his trademark late inswing.—Reuters